Will of Fire, light my way
by hanareader
Summary: Pretending to be Orochimaru wasn't part of the plan.
1. Chapter 1

It was time.

He knew that his time was up. In the following days from now Orochimaru will make his move and complete the transfer. The next few days will stage a fight over who holds the control over his body.

He's only a little worried.

Though Sasuke had been in close quarters with the man for years now he didn't know everything about him. Orochimaru was a living mystery. Each instance the man smiled was a surprise, with some fresh tidbit twirling in his mind he toyed with him and rubbed the knowledge in his face. The scientist liked to keep something up under his sleeve and plan for all possible variables – ever since his loss to his sensei he'd gotten quiet, calculated and careful.

Sometimes too quiet, the way he'd go on for weeks not talking to him made Sasuke queasy.

He knew Orochimaru was an obsessive paranoid. Smart, the man used his knowledge of human anatomy and social interactions to his advantage. Any dirty trick he knew to make you uncomfortable, he would. Any words you spoke he'd remember and use against you. Every lick of his lips was savoring triumphant and his look said he knew it. The tension had been rising high between the two of them: the aging, weakening master and the still-growing student, each minute Sasuke lingered a little longer on his assigned missions was pushing the strain.

Orochimaru relished drama. His lip curled like he knew what he was thinking and what was on everyone's mind. Who. When. The sheer enjoyment of the anticipation bothered him on some level, left a distaste in his mouth. This was the moment that will determine life or death for the either of them and Sasuke didn't know if this kind of nonchalance meant something, meant there was a surprise hidden in store.

The loss of his arms had kept Orochimaru fairly withdrawn all these years, happiness was a scary quality to find in his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun," he purred from his position on the bed, beckoning him closer. The formality to his name had always disturbed him. He's mocking him, dripping baited favoritism like it was honey and intentionally calling back memories of his past teammate Sakura. If Orochimaru thought he could ever compare to a teenage girl, well, he was wrong for once.

He can't play mind games with him anymore. Sasuke won't fall for it.

"I need you to go on another mission for me. Land of Rice in Stone Country," he said.

Sasuke kept silent. Sometimes his master asked these favors personally rather than going through Kabuto. He liked to single him out, keep him on his toes and rattled as far as routine. Anything to exercise his power especially when his arms were paining him, when the black, rotting threads couldn't be anesthetized enough at days, leaving the sannin screaming in torture. Pissed at the loss of his jutsu. Vulnerable. He wanted to remind him.

Sasuke thought that this wasn't one of those days. Not cranky enough.

Orochimaru, pleased at his lack of response decided to push it further. His tongue made its way to slither around his wrist.

"Do a kindness and raise my blankets. Your old master is feeling chilly. And my hands are paralyzed, you see?" His tongue caressed his skin as he released his wrist consciously. He leaned back and waited.

Sasuke grimaced. Playing the feeble, old man was not his strong suit. His voice was too sinuous and overly saccharine, Orochimaru must know how he rubbed every individual in his vicinity wrong, save Kabuto. Sasuke could see through it all, in his serpentine eyes and in the muscle strength his damn tongue held over his wrist – Orochimaru was a cold-blooded predator and there was no way he could pretend as prey: arms or no.

But the intent was not lost on him. His sensei was making his threat.

Soon.

…

Orochimaru had said this was of great importance, tying loose ends if you will. He could infer that bringing his target alive… wasn't exactly paramount. The man didn't care for another victim to experiment on, only that Sasuke would follow _this_ order, unlike the others. But Sasuke didn't know if this errand would be his last. He didn't know if he was prolonging the inevitable. He's been walking around for eight hours but still hadn't caught the man he was looking for.

Sasuke's not usually like this, any other time he was a sublime ninja. Today, he was cracking.

Rather than let the nerves torture him in the back of his mind, he kept moving. Stone Country was a place ahead of its time. The locals here prefer stocky fortresses over the papered palaces he's used to. They were far enough from the mainland and Fire Country that their accents were jarring, their dress colorful and patterned, and their looks… shorter. He knew the man he's looking for could be found here, intermixed within this marketplace. White-shock hair and scared running for his life, after Sasuke had crashed his little gathering.

Sasuke never liked his missions at times but honestly this was a bit much.

"Help!" the man cried out.

First mistake.

Pinpointing the source of the cry took only a moment as his Sharingan focused on his target. The doujutsu began distinctly outlining him from the locals. Sasuke calculated the distance between them and decided he was too tired to keep chase any longer – he was too tired to keep it clean. This was going to go public.

He raised his hand and aimed. The blue light arced in a straight line through the crowd, directly towards the space his target just assumed. It pierced flesh with a loud, wet _squelch_ , it was broad daylight and the tiny noise of protest sputtered to a stop. The marketplace was struck silent for a moment.

Then all hell broke loose.

…

It only took him half the day to return to base though he realized he probably should've taken longer.

"Sasuke-kun. I believe I asked for discretion, if I recall."

He remained silent.

"Stone Country doesn't know just how "entrenched" its leaders are in Sound dealings… and I was told to keep it that way. Your little _stunt_ yesterday places me in a pressuring position I do not like to be."

Sasuke began cleaning his weapons. He took out the cloth he kept for handling and meticulously polished his swords, inspecting the twin blades and the hilt. He did this every time Orochimaru confronted him in his room because though the base wasn't his this room was his unspoken designated safe space. His. Alone. He didn't return here to be lectured, especially after he completed the damn job like he asked.

His room was dimmed and he was busy. But Orochimaru didn't like to be ignored in place for menial tasks. It irked the man and Sasuke felt vindicated.

"You had me kill a civilian."

"Oh? Not to your tastes, Sasuke-kun?" He veered closer until his steps echoed in the low chamber while Orochimaru's tone darkened. "I didn't know you held lingering _reservations_ ," he sneered.

The threat was real, the man's been waiting for the chance to catch him in the act. Around every corner was Orochimaru, hiding for the opportunity to find that 'insufferable moral compass' he spoke often of when he recalled his own past teammates, the same he wanted to find and challenge in Sasuke's determination, but he won't find a thing. The Uchiha had torn those bonds years ago. Orochimaru was the gaping maw under the bridge, waiting for him to peer over.

And Sasuke was done being doubted. He did the deed already and his sensei should be satisfied. He was not interested in being cornered, in being questioned. The proximity of hot breath against his neck was pissing him the fuck off.

"My skills are unsurpassable." Sasuke raised his weapon to fine the edge against Orochimaru's pale neck, letting the metal catch the little light in the room. He tightened his grip and a tiny bead of blood dribbled down his katana. Orochimaru immediately tasted the air for copper, long tongue flickering on instinct before he licked his lips. The small slice made the man happy, instant death at his throat. His Sharingan spun and dark eyes watched, glinted with the pleasure. "This was grunt work. More suited for Kabuto, if I _recall_. Don't waste my time again," he said, and allowed the red to dissipate.

Orochimaru very very slowly smiled.

"Of course."

…

Of course... he quickly regretted. In a fit of retribution Orochimaru had him make runs across the landscape, knowing that this type of training was his least favorite of them all. Sasuke sprinted with no chakra to supplement him, while a giant-ass _snake_ crashed after his heels.

He ran, Manda rumbled; the great snake enjoyed too well the opportunity to torture him, one of the rare times he rose from his slumber.

The trees whipped by faster than his Sharingan could process them, flashes of brown and greens. He could hear as they cracked like thunder at his footsteps and the ground trembled when they downed by the numbers. It was an ominous warning to the strength of Manda's chase; the snake paid no attention to the destruction he caused at his sheer body size and weight. His tail whipped for balance once and absolutely decimated the undergrowth.

"Faster! Or do you plan to lose to your brother?"

Orochimaru was _not_ helping.

Sasuke picked speed.

The Uchiha knew the man was purposefully guiding the snake through the most difficult of trespasses, he had memorized a good majority of the land. The surroundings of their base was all jungle and if Sasuke didn't watch carefully, he'd as soon as choke himself on a vine. The forest floor was an unspoken danger of bulging roots, mud, or even quicksand – treacherous, even for the animals that made it their home habitat. If he slipped, Orochimaru wouldn't stop to wait for him. If he got caught by any other means, he'd summarily get eaten.

Sasuke wasn't about to fall for any _natural_ trappings.

Manda struck like a whip – the air screamed and the Uchiha had barely the time to spin away. His tail was like a scorpions, diamond exoskeleton empty of poison but no less dangerous... it shook and rattled like bells. Sasuke fumbled in recovery, his legs were _shaking_ , and he backtracked as carefully as he could while his Sharingan noted every detail.

Only inches away from where he was, jaws were sunken deep into the dirt, Sasuke could hear the grinding of earth, low and dragging like walnuts. A _crunch_ , a raise of the head, and he found himself under a single green eye flitting side to side at his every motion. It was a reptilian gaze, eerie and quick, predatory and alien.

Orochimaru liked this training the most. He wanted to capitalize on his memories of the Chuunin Exams in the worst ways he could possibly think of.

"'My skills are unsurpassable,' was that correct?" the man smiled.

Sasuke tried to look away from Manda's gaze but he couldn't, he couldn't, he tried but he could only hear the smugness rich in his master's voice within the back of his mind. He faltered.

"Sasuke-kun." The great snake lashed out with a reflex that was blinding, Sasuke could only freeze and capture it with his eyes. Pink mouth and flesh exposed, his maw extended wide until he blocked the light of the sun and all he could see was death. His feet weren't moving!, and Manda was gaining distance, any second now-

Sasuke turned tail and ran.

Orochimaru laughed into the air behind him. Sasuke knew his only saving grace was that this was not the real Forest of Death. It wasn't. No; there was only one predator he needed to worry about, every other living thing had fled at the sound of Manda's arrival.

This meant he could focus. He could narrow his options. This "training" was the highlight to his sensei's last days. They both knew running laps with no chakra against the leader of a summoning beast was next to impossible, in addition to being exhausting. The skill involved a great deal of luck and the use of snake senses, or lack thereof.

But with Orochimaru perched on Manda's head, utilizing snake weak points wasn't an option. Manda didn't even have to hiss and taste with his tongue once because his sensei directed his every move. Orochimaru was the eyes of the operation and in this instance he didn't need his jutsu to inflict him.

He only needed one lax moment, _any day now_.

Sasuke couldn't give him that, if it was the last thing he could do.

When he tumbled from a tree root, he could hear Orochimaru scoff dismissively from close behind him, expressing his disappointment. Sasuke had to ignore the sound, shake it off, it didn't matter what he thought, he righted himself and kept running.

Despite all his focus, the signals between the two were made soundlessly. The sannin and his summon didn't have the closest of relationships but they were of one mind and Sasuke didn't doubt their teamwork, he learned the hard way not to underestimate it. Orochimaru could motion with his head merely slightly and Manda would know him, know what to do next. When the forest sounds got quiet, Sasuke realized this.

"Shit. _Shit_." He ran with a burst of speed that surprised him, fueled by hormonal adrenaline and a twinge of fear. He didn't need to look behind himself to know that Manda and Orochimaru had left, their presence erased from the surface of the earth. It was the same two-part combo attack they specialized in that never failed to get him.

They knew where he was but he didn't know where _they_ were.

He kept running at a medium pace, storing his energy for the quick reflex he'd need to avoid their attack. Deep underground Manda tunneled through the earth and every step Sasuke made alerted him to his position. Every swerve was copied near instantly and it was only a matter of time, not skill.

Luck.

When the ground shivered, Sasuke leapt up and threw his only kunai.

 _'Never let go of your sword.'_

The great mouth was absolutely mesmerizing underneath him. Sasuke could look down into an expanse of glistening inner flesh and the tunnel the throat made, dark and disappearing in clear detail. It was an entry way to hell, he knew that anything caught in between those throat muscles was quickly swallowed whole and digested in minutes. Death was gaining right under him and time seemed to slow as they both transferred their chase into the air.

He tried to tell himself Orochimaru wanted his body. Orochimaru would never hurt _him_. This was training, he was his sensei, this was teaching – Sasuke's thoughts wheeled like the Sharingan in his eyes, quickly and rapidly finding a no-solution. Manda hissed harsh at his heels like the roar of a hurricane, his forked tongue barely grazing him at the ankle.

 _No!_ He panicked, Sasuke threw in an exploding note and flipped.

Dimly, he could hear as Orochimaru laughed. There was sharp pain in his gut that he felt like throwing up.

He dropped. He didn't land very gracefully, if the tumble along the branches down could be called a landing. The great snake crashed the ground and his whole world shook, his vision took too long to right itself once again.

With a low groan Sasuke returned to, but he couldn't pinpoint his pursuers. Manda was gone as soon as he fell, recovering sooner than he had. His sensei could be anywhere and everywhere.

Orochimaru called out to him, voice omnipresent and whispering like the wind. "Are you still afraid, Sasuke-boy?" his voice brushed against his ear.

Yes. Yes he was.

…

This was their training.

It was hell, it was torture, and it was a big joke onto himself, Sasuke knew that this couldn't account for anything. Orochimaru was having fun and the Uchiha let him, the Uchiha fell for it.

Weak, his brother would say, was he afraid of crows too?

Sasuke ran through the woods. The sannin didn't hesitate calling him names, if he could find any way to rattle him, it was part of the atmosphere, he said, a bombardment of stimuli both physical and mental. Although Orochimaru was one more for polite niceties, he could be devastating when he knew to be and always picked his words carefully as he knew them. He learned how to hurt him. He chose when to do so. Sometimes, Sasuke couldn't tell if the man was his enemy or his friend, his father and teacher.

He didn't always let the disappointment get to him, but Orochimaru was too good with his words until Sasuke didn't know what to think.

"Sasuke-boy."

Although he knew he shouldn't, the Uchiha glanced back on accident. Big mistake. Orochimaru jumped at the opportunity and leapt off his perch from Manda's head, he was a pale blur in the split second his eyes caught him, the red widened. "You know better!" he yelled, and with a whip of his neck pierced him with Kusanagi.

Sasuke tried not to cough, tried not to make any noise because that would disappoint Orochimaru more than the slight, he had to be resolute in taking his pain.

But it seemed as if no matter how he timed his breaths… the sword still hurt. The metal was deep into his side and sinking deeper, colder than ice itself, easily slipping into his flesh in a disturbing way that he couldn't explain. _Twisting_. Orochimaru, with the sword in his mouth lifted him like a ragdoll on a skewer and shook, threw him hard across the distance. He bounced off rough bark and it burned to slide against the length of the tree; Sasuke coughed and heaved.

The sannin wasn't wrong. He's been here for three years. Long enough to pick up the things around him, even the things he never wanted to know or be a part of. He knew better that this was training by now nor was this training to begin with. Some eerie part of it was dangerously real... through the sweaty, black strands of his hair in his line of sight, where Orochimaru retracted and swallowed his tongue in inhuman speed, his blood on sword and all.

Sasuke couldn't help it, he shuddered. The sannin licked at the droplets of red off his lips and it was a foreshadowing Sasuke didn't want to envision. He knew better than to give himself any more time to rest, Orochimaru wasn't going to wait.

This wasn't about training anymore.

The Uchiha was gifted right into Manda's range and he blinked before a curtain of darkness clamped over him. The ground tore beneath his feet, his prized sight, blinded and useless.

"Hmm, Sasuke-kun? Haven't I said never to look a snake in the eyes?" His Sharingan could only make out the few details of Manda's mouth, differing depths in black. There was texture and little movement as the great snake slowly revealed long hidden fangs. The fleshy substance was shiny in the little light and he felt the rumble of Manda's throaty laugh.

"Your visual acuity is your greatest failing, boy. Fear of snakes and the Sharingan… not a good combination if you want to _succeed_ here." Sasuke could hear Orochimaru pace the perimeter, making crunches of leaves on the foresty floor. He had to ignore his sensei and focus on the issue before him. Manda. Any moment now poison will bead along those stalactites and he had to figure out how to calm himself, how to get out of here.

The burn in his side was losing notice. The air in his lungs was shortening. Sasuke was scared.

"Wouldn't you like to be freed?" Wouldn't you like to be _free_? Sasuke didn't look away from where he thought those fangs were, long and waiting for him, making his eyes tear with water. It was the thick of poison in the air, slowly insidious with the ability to immobilize an average man with just its scent. Sasuke endured this training too many times to count until he developed an immunity, though alone with the psychosomatic nightmares.

Orochimaru enjoyed to teach. Input, effort, results, he loved when he was 'effective'.

The voice spoke amusement through the scales. "I won't take over your body if you don't want me to."

"Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"

Manda rumbled.

"Three minutes," Orochimaru ordered and the mouth around him crunched.

…

His body couldn't move.

Although this wasn't his first snake bite, nor his fiftieth, the poison racked through his body and nervous system. Sasuke's limbs were numb yet his mind awaked and that was the worst part of the ordeal. He was a living sleep paralysis with his eyes open and his body vulnerable, the red of his Sharingan twirled and receded in spurts, but it wasn't as if Sasuke could turn to look at an enemy with his eyes. He could only see the cracked cave ceiling while the green glowed in the corner of his periphery; Kabuto, who ran chakra hands along his body.

Sasuke hated being here. He hated to be like this. Immobile, vulnerable before a man known for many illegal experiments he wouldn't be surprised if he took the opportunity to sample as he was unconscious, to horrifically continue to do so even if he wasn't. Kabuto reveled in moving when and where he couldn't, it was the little power authorities he could assume the few chances he had.

"Uchiha-san."

Sasuke glared.

Kabuto removed his hands and the glow dissipated. He adjusted his glasses before putting away his clipboard, Sasuke feared. "The antidote I administered should be another few hours to take effect. You may feel numb as of late," he said casually.

He couldn't _speak_.

"I know that you can't respond to what I'm saying but your hearing capabilities are still in order. Can you focus your eyes on me?" Kabuto turned his head towards him and the Uchiha could only seethe internally, breathing while his pupils widened with fear. Kabuto's hand was cold. "Good. Uchiha-san. Would you like something for your fear of snakes?"

 _What? No, no…_

"I may not look it but I'm well versed in immersion techniques to overcome household fears. As you are well aware, the dark, spiders, roaches… A couple sessions of informative therapy and you can consider yourself cured of these things; if you want." Sasuke could only activate and deactivate his Sharingan in succession because he couldn't do anything else with the adrenaline. His eyes spun rapidly but his stare was dumb, his look terrified. Kabuto watched calmly as he formed the hand signs; Sasuke could only breathe heavily with panic.

"It's okay, Uchiha-san. You're in capable hands." He bit his finger and healed the cut as soon as he did, only a drip of blood remaining on the digit.

Stop.

"Try not to be too still. They might mistake you as prey," his voice was soft. The medic nin gently adjusted his head on the pillow for him. He was trying to… he was trying to…

Stop!

Sasuke's neck was straightened, eyes to the ceiling: Kabuto made him 'comfortable'. Sasuke couldn't see the family of snakes as they slithered out from under coat sleeves, he could only hear their chorus of hissing, pitched and sharp like birds of prey.

So many… too many. The air blew harsh out of his nose, panicked, he shut his eyes.

"Will you fight your brother after this?" Kabuto asked idly. Cold, wiry bodies found their way along his torso, slow and deliberate. Three, four, five of em, he couldn't tell the number, they intermixed bodies in a fashion that made his stomach sink and churn. They untangled and crawled their separate ways, he could feel them slither all over his skin.

"Uchiha-san. Don't let what I said disrupt you and your future training battles. It was a mere theory of mine, to make you feel better. Orochimaru-sama requested I keep your mental stability within range during your stay here."

 _Shut-up!_ He shook and shook under his skin to no avail. He tried to twitch even a single finger but his body wasn't listening to him! It was a war, his insides roiled and tore with the frustration; Sasuke so wanted to scream.

Kabuto must have planned to observe this. "I don't think it has any weight, really. You don't actually believe it, do you? That your brother was ordered to kill your family?"

He slipped an unidentifiable noise through his teeth.

"Don't let this interrupt your focus. Especially around such a harrowing time for you," one of the snakes was thin like a cord but long, worming tight around his neck while the head followed the heat of his breath. His breathing was coming fast, helpless muffled protests through his nostrils. Dark green and patterned with diamond scales, she flicked her forked tongue as she closed in on his eyes. She was pretty, she was hypnotic, she was mesmerizing, she…

"-was that what you always wanted to hear?" Kabuto's hands had re-familiarized themselves with the clipboard once again, his pen loud against paper. Taps and scratches on wood as the medic made note of him and his every reaction, detailing while he spouted the bullshit coming out of his mouth.

This man threw knowledge like it was dirt to him. Something less of importance than his experiments, like anything of relevance to their time was mere superstition, magic or religion. He'd use what he could to his advantage solely for the end goal of science, exactly why Sasuke was in the precarious position he was now.

Unfortunately, it was working. His fucking experiment was working.

"It's okay, Uchiha-san. Every snake's already eaten and docile. Non-venomous." He could feel her tongue lightly brush along his lashes. The body of her _squeezed_. "Soon. You'll be in capable hands-"

…

It wasn't a commotion that woke him up.

Sometimes enemies found them, and with enough force investigation discovered their hideout many times. He's had to move with Orochimaru multiple instances throughout the span of six months, some of them close calls he could never forget. Orochimaru was determined folk however, and didn't run for long, he made sure to plan for the worse weeks ahead of his competition. He refused to die before transferring into his body, even if that meant running from his opposition, even if this was his most crucial time as a target. Every village knew of his inability to perform jutsu. They attacked now, believing that they had the missing sannin disadvantaged, though Sasuke personally knew it was not by much. Countless hunters went after the infamous scientist in this precious window of time, only for the misinterpretation to cost them their lives.

The Uchiha never doubted he couldn't win before now. He was proud and indoctrinated into the superiority of his Sharingan. He thought he didn't need to know the man, he would carry his power and win. He would finally erase this immoral place off the surface of the earth and defeat his brother.

That was the original plan.

 _swi-_

Sasuke dodged while air sliced past him, a kunai penetrated through his pillow and embedded itself into the mattress. It vibrated with the force, Sasuke was confused for a moment before he realized.

"I apologize if I've interrupted your sleep, Sasuke-boy."

Orochimaru peeled the weapon, wrapping his tongue around the metal and shinking it out of his bed board. He danced the knife in his face, the cold metal caressing the skin of his cheeks before he dropped it into his lap.

…An offering. As if he had any choice.

The sannin spoke through his tongue. "I would prefer this go smoothly, my Sasuke."

His gaze was focused on the weapon and his mouth remained immobile, Orochimaru perused and made himself at home in his room.

"Well? What will your answer be?"

"How can this be a question?"

"You should already be aware. You're a smart boy, aren't you?"

Sasuke countered. "If you wanted my body you would've taken it while I was still fighting off the snake poison. You would never 'ask'. You're late."

Orochimaru hummed. "You forget I wouldn't want the transfer to be in any way… compromised. A poor body may not survive the exchange, nor one that was medically sedated."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

The sannin ignored him. "However. I also desired to give my favorite ward one last chance. A parting gift, if you will – the choice is yours."

 _'Don't disappoint me.'_

"You want me to fight you." He said as a statement. Orochimaru's gaze gleamed confidently as he smiled.

"I want to see you…" The rattling began in chorus, annoying first and then deafening, like the walls were alive. Snakes weaved flush along the walls, ceilings, and in every corner, vibrating with excitement at Orochimaru's intent. Their scales shifted in mass and sheened glimmer from the little light of his room, dictating to Sasuke how deep the shit he was in.

Like a living Medusa, the heads faced him and hissed in tandem.

"Your decision?"

"Like there was any choice."

All the snakes charged.

…

Three genjutsus and it wasn't working, Orochimaru wasn't slowing down.

By this point, Sasuke's eyes burned. The red had extended into the cornea, bloodshot veins bulging dangerously from over usage. His Sharingan was eating into his chakra by the kilo, depleting his most recent food source and inner chi... but if he receded the doujutsu for a single moment he'd be vulnerable to the swift bite of Kusanagi. Sasuke's lightening could only boost his speed for so long to avoid his master, sometimes he was going too fast he couldn't follow his own movements.

Which was more dangerous than anything. If he couldn't keep himself in check he would be swallowed by the snakes. His body would be stolen right from under him.

Orochimaru smiled as if he knew what he was thinking, and Sasuke didn't know how a man with no hands could be defeating him, what was going on?

"Don't you feel it already, Sasuke-kun?" The Uchiha frantically looked around finding nothing, only a few lingering snakes and the crumbling wreck of his room. The air was heated while the rocks gleamed fresh with wet.

"What did you do?"

"Your eyes are nothing like your brother's." Orochimaru remained still, and the foundation of his wall suddenly punched out towards himself. Sasuke barely dodged the attack before it happened again, his _room_ fighting against him.

"Genjutsu is very noble, my boy, but I'm afraid I never got the time to teach you senjutsu… Then again, you were a little too delicate for the ordeal, weren't you?"

His tongue rewinded rapidly and Sasuke readied himself, with his head tipped high, Orochimaru called out- "Sage Art: Inorganic Animation!"

The three walls and ceiling around him instantly condensed like scrunched paper. His body contorted into an inhuman position, his hands were boxed separately and he couldn't make signs. Only a second into his offense, and Sasuke was stuck.

Deep under the base was rich in inorganic materials, the perfect playground for a white snake sage mode everyone believed Orochimaru _hadn't_ successfully achieved. Internally, Sasuke cursed himself. There was nowhere to escape.

His tongue wormed through the cracks of rock, the easing motion of it loud and slippery and wet while the hissing continuing in the background, Sasuke couldn't move! "I think it's about time I make things very difficult for you. I've given you generous chances – I believe it's about time you give back something that belongs to me."

Sasuke froze. He didn't think. A sudden searing pain across his back and he was free, the rock jail couldn't stop him from flying. His wings were out, gray dry skin leathery and tough but free.

Orochimaru spoke darkly. "I spent 20 years developing that jutsu… longer than your lifetime, _boy_. You will not win with it against me," he said.

Sasuke flapped the bat limbs once and they rose, sweeping vast bony curtains that blocked the light in the room. The sheer length of it crashed an opening into the hallway.

He assessed his options, shifted, the black schelera of his eyes soon adapted to the dark before he was gone.

Orochimaru followed.

…

Sasuke could run, but he knew he couldn't hide, eventually he'd have to fight the man. But he knew when the odds were stacked against him. His sensei was using their environment to his advantage and taking his sweet time with him, any minute now he could have easily turned the tables. Sasuke didn't know why he hadn't already. For some reason his sensei didn't remove his curse power yet, even though he's had ample opportunity and cause to do so.

He could've ended it quickly by cutting off his wings, he could've burned away his seal mark for forever. Sasuke feared exactly what was stopping him.

Just as he had the thought it seemed he spoke too soon, his shoulder seared the skin off his neck and Sasuke _screamed_.

"This will end quickly."

He clutched his arm and squeezed the pain, god, fuck, somebody make it stop!

Orochimaru came closer and with every step the burn eased, leaving his mind dizzy and conflicted. He didn't want him to come any closer; his sight blurred. The walls seemed to blend together in a gray expanse and no opening, no other color to escape, Sasuke couldn't fly. His right wing flapped with desperation before he crumbled to the ground. All seals, he knew, wished to be in line with their maker and it seemed that his sensei had a failsafe made for judgement day, an inside joke of his queer adherence to consent – Sasuke watched him come.

Half of his wing was receding, his arm was dead, body sprawled as the Sharingan focused on the man above him, tall and cold.

"I didn't wish it to lead in this manner."

"Stop playing the good guy!"

Before his sensei could make any motions, Sasuke released a spurt of involuntary chakra. Pure fear fueled him, his skin was cool with sweat and suddenly made conductive, lightening sparked brightly out of the chakra points of his body.

It crackled loudly with the raw power, blue incandescent. It burned Orochimaru in a lashed _whip_ of energy that drove him away for the moment.

The man hissed. "You would use electric discharge as a barrier… it'll soon be inhabitable for your own comfort, _Sasuke_."

The curse seal mark burned and the Uchiha groaned.

He gasped to regain his breath while the blue lights thrumming his body slowly died in quiet. He couldn't focus his Sharingan anymore, the pain was too great. Orochimaru was a pale blob burning, dancing in his vision.

He panted. "It shouldn't… last this long."

Orochimaru looked at him. His burn mark was quickly fading from view, his shape gaining clarity. Serpentine eyes were heavy.

"You've been meditating for years, haven't you?"

"A ninja must always prepare for unexpected variables. The last Uchiha willingly walking into my hands, waiting to be assumed… I would be a fool to believe you."

"Why didn't you use it then?" Why not save your hands?

Orochimaru ignored him. "I have to thank my late sensei for half of the work was done for me. My arms are permanently still and I was able to use that to my advantage." As he talked his skin shifted and grew, something different from the neck extension he specialized in. This was grotesque, this was involuntary, violently stretching the skin with every word. "He has taught me patience."

Sasuke's eyes went wide with horror.

"No." As the white skin grew more inhuman, the appearance shifted from mammal to reptile. What looked to be normal skin grafts hardened into scales. Less like a person in sage mode… and into something else entirely. "Your body's failing you," he said with sudden realization, what he spoke was gaining credence in his mind. "Your body's been failing for years."

 _You never achieved sage mode to begin with._

"You don't have the endurance."

Orochimaru attacked.

…

He needed a plan. All Sasuke could do was dodge the half-sage body Orochimaru assumed, and barely at that. Only thanks to the Stage Two form of his curse mark could he avoid the dangerous reflexes of the Great White Snake, long fangs and pale scales shivering. Orochimaru was becoming more and more serpentine, as if he didn't have any real control over the senjutsu he claimed.

When that lizard gaze narrowed onto him, double lidded, dim and slow, Sasuke thought he looked more like an animal, more like the predator he's ever been.

That meant this whole time he's had everything to lose. No replacement backup body to assume. If Orochimaru didn't gain a new body now, the snake sage of Ryuchi Cave would eat him through.

Sasuke sliced his chokuto between hard scales and thick meat but the effect was like a Hydras, regenerating from the cut ends in excess. Fuck. He'd have to burn him.

"Uchiha…" The first word he's said since he's abandoned human form, his snake lips having difficulty forming the individual syllables. Orochimaru was losing it, the chimera form of his was getting hungry. He slithered and the large body curled sinuously, movements like water.

There was only one option left to choose.

Wait him out.

If he didn't get caught in the time it took for the snake bite to officially run through… Sasuke jumped to avoid poisonous fangs and his own. Orochimaru will be snake or stone entirely; this Sage Mode couldn't last. Dead or eaten alive, Sasuke didn't care, he clashed against a sharpened tail with his sword while the step of his sandals slid over stone. If he were to be frank, and barring his current predicament, either option worked in his favor. For as long as the man regained the little bit of cognizance he had to chase him, Sasuke needed to wait him out. If he maintained his humanity, his master would win.

Sasuke deactivated his doujutsu to conserve chakra. This wasn't a matter of a sprint but a marathon. He needed to be the prey that could outdistance a predator.

…

 _'You don't actually believe it, do you? That your brother was ordered to kill your family?'_

It's not that he doubted.

When the rocks near his person exploded, the fragments shot past him at impossible speeds, cutting slices of his skin and clothes. Sasuke waited for the blue-gray cloud of debris to dissipate and cloak his presence from what had become his sensei. He blinked away dust and kept still under, while he watched tall snake fangs retreat themselves slowly.

It was old Sasuke, child Sasuke, small, chubby hands that had as much a hard time grasping a pencil as his first kunai; the same Sasuke Itachi gently guided his fingers around the hilt, thumb on top, eyes forward. The one who still loved his brother impossibly, no matter how long his revenge. After hearing the question it was hope, and the damned stupid feeling he thought he tore, swollen in his mind and making his heart skip. He hoped that maybe there was a piece he was missing… though he knew that the opportunity for any relapse had long passed. Sasuke killed that civilian Orochimaru ordered, and it was only the first, one mistake before many.

Maybe he too was timed.

The snake chimera roared in pain, haunting and old reptilian, it's tortured shriek echoed against the caves. The poison of the snake sage was making its way along. Orochimaru lost all of himself into his goals, abandoning his past, morals, and reservations. Determined in attaining a new body he attacked him desperately, pink maw grossly exposed. But rather than transcending his humanity, the man was falling.

Sasuke thought that maybe, just maybe, he couldn't let himself become that.

"Orochimaru."

At the name, the snake veered, large eyes targeted onto him. They were dark with wide pupils and dumb, empty of the yellow he was born with. What was left of the great sannin screamed like a raptor when Sasuke let the red bleed into his eyes.

He didn't know what last to say to him. To his sensei. To his master. Sasuke simply released his genjutsu.

…

Which brought him to this moment.

"-which one _are_ you?"

Sasuke listened as Kabuto posed the question while he watched him closely. The man never did really like him, as next body vessel he took up Orochimaru's attention more than any other prisoner here, and was unspoken favorite. Maybe he was jealous. Maybe he wanted his body too. Kabuto desired to impress the snake on grounds of misguided respect for the man, and Sasuke being in the vicinity didn't allow him the opportunity. It was a split second decision and before he knew it, before he could stop himself, the words were coming out of his mouth.

"Kabuto-san," he spoke slowly and with dark weight. "Do you really think a boy could defeat me? That I'd let myself be weakened?"

He lied.

At his words, Kabuto relaxed minutely and the hand at his side loosened. His grip on his scalpel that he thought Sasuke didn't notice went easy, and he instantly assumed him as a non-threat. Kabuto slowly smiled. "Of course not. Orochimaru-sama."

This was the start to his story.


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke knew why he did it. Kabuto wasn't somebody he cared to possess, and impersonating as Orochimaru wouldn't get him anybody but a dropout medical ninja, possibly one second to Sakura herself. He didn't need a healer, much less a man like Kabuto, who's glasses glinted with an innate kind of cruelty that couldn't be passed down or taught. He's already proved himself more deplorable than his master and the mere idea of it was sickening, working _together_ with him. Being amiable with him. Orochimaru always viewed Kabuto as an invaluable resource and Sasuke hated to agree with the snake, he was right.

If he was to ever know anything about the truth of his clan, anything at all, the man may not be the most ideal of healers but he did have one thing to his name.

Information.

"Kabuto."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

Gods, he hated this.

"Has there been any recent word on the search for Sasuke," his name scratched off his tongue, thick and harsh, "from Konoha, or otherwise?"

Kabuto paused. "Konoha is an 8 days run from this hideout and the closest base of operations has been preoccupied with the current local gang conflict… one that you yourself had intentionally festered. My lord," he added belatedly.

Of course he had.

Just as he was in the scramble to explain himself, Kabuto adjusted his frames.

"Unless you're implying- no; no, Orochimaru-sama. Akatsuki has not returned contact with you. At least none that I'm aware of yet."

Sasuke blinked. "None?"

"Pain remains under the impression that you are still incapable of causing major damage, since the invasion of the Leaf a few years ago. He suspects you will not be interfering with his plans and I have reason to believe that the Akatsuki were actually quite doubting of you."

"Hmph." Interesting. "Doubting? You speak of my relationship with Sasuke?"

Kabuto bowed. "Yes. They've had no reason to think you would actually succeed the transfer… the last instance you were in league with them you were quite desperate for the Mangekyou Sharingan: and so adamantly at that. Pain and Akatsuki may have dismissed you for your passion to science, more so when your arms were rendered useless."

And my brother? "And?"

"As for Uchiha Itachi, he has made no outward movements. He may be unknowing of the transfer's success… or simply uncaring."

"You think he's uncaring." Sasuke forced himself to stretch his lips, thin and tightening at the skin. He forced his voice to drip with meaning. "His only younger brother."

Kabuto smiled slowly with amusement. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama, you may be right. Sasuke's continually a prized interest so you may find the local bird population has increased."

 _What the fuck does that have to do with-_

"I'll make arrangements to camouflage our location, though I'm afraid genjutsu will no longer hold effect."

Damn. "-yes."

Sasuke wanted to ask more. Finally they were on the topic of discussion of his brother but it was only an inside joke, over information Orochimaru must have been already familiar with, knowledge Kabuto must've been lording over him. The words caught in his throat as Kabuto knelt before him, then rose. He was going to get away and Sasuke couldn't think of anything to say to stop him, it was too risky to play dumb. His steps echoed and Kabuto made it to the lab's doors, right before he stopped. "If I may speak?"

Sasuke looked up at the man.

"As you may already know, it would be in your best interest to remain silent of your success, Sensei."

"You would have me refrain from my further goals?"

"Yes." Kabuto turned and bowed deeply, while his voice echoed along the white humming machines. Sasuke didn't know how half of this stuff even worked but a surprising amount of paperwork was directed to him, for a criminal underground scientist his late sensei had the run-of-the-mill office space. It was a nice place to be, decent florescent lighting, and warmer than the rest of the caves.

It was only much harder to pretend to be Orochimaru here, Sasuke never bothered to brush up on his maths since his arrival and it showed.

He hoped the man wasn't going to mention that the paperwork wasn't exactly 'done'. "Anything else you want to add?"

Kabuto lowered his eyes.

Hm. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Never, sensei."

Gods. Kabuto was actually concerned for him. Or for Orochimaru, actually. Sasuke barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "I'll doubly refrain from the temptation of broadcasting my new body, if it satisfies you."

Kabuto swallowed, he could see from this distance, and kept his hands behind his back. "Uchiha Itachi-"

"Is of no relevance to me. Don't you believe in your master?"

"Of course."

This conversation was like pulling teeth.

"His card is incomplete." Kabuto finally said, after a long enough stare that he thought was more of his own personality than something Orochimaru would do. "It has never been complete. I have portions of my data as theoretical probabilities or even largely missing."

"Is that fear in your voice?"

"I don't know him."

Well, that answered his question.

"… but you believe he'll search." Sasuke spoke slowly as he pieced together the missing pieces in this reveal. "No, more than that, you believe he'll go on the offensive. You think he's _caring_ ," he said suddenly, curiously, with a light in his voice.

What in the world was going on?

Kabuto bowed.

"And…" Sasuke said remembering that he was supposed to be Orochimaru, not surprised at this information but harrowing in on the detail of most importance. "You have an odd certainty he'll defeat me."

His head remained low.

"He might… hesitate."

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

"With you as you are now may be an effective deterrent for the man," which was only more fuel to the growing fire of his brother _not_ being who he thought he was. "He'll have a hard time challenging you, especially if you timely reenact some of Sasuke's speech patterns and mannerisms."

"You want me to pretend to be his little brother?" Sasuke said, blasphemous.

"Itachi Uchiha has remained largely unpredictable concerning his motivations and power scales, in addition to being well-renowned for his genius. I only caution you, Orochimaru-sama."

"I'll remember that I couldn't defeat a _child_."

Kabuto returned him one last quick bow before escaping the room.

…

(Fuck. Now he had only more questions.)

…

It was hard getting him to talk again. Sasuke thought that he was uncommonly lucky the first time, riding the high that was receiving a new body Kabuto must have thought him in a more amiable mood, more inclined to let him say things he otherwise couldn't get away with. Like his brother thought of being stronger than him. Sasuke didn't know the history between the two, Orochimaru and Itachi, but it obviously left a long-lasting impression enough to become this much of a weighted topic. He was tempted himself to put it to the test, try being that petty to rub it in to Itachi's face like Kabuto believed to think Orochimaru was. Sasuke scoffed to himself and shook his head as he returned to his master room, his sword long enough to drag the cold stone.

…

Kabuto was being extremely reticent.

"I apologize, Master."

"I've been unprepared, Orochimaru-sama."

"I'm afraid I do not know, Sensei."

That fucking liar!

He didn't know how he was doing it, but the man was constantly controlling the conversation to his advantage while avoiding the information Sasuke wanted to hear. It was a skillful maneuver into territory Sasuke had to think about before answering, science and the like, to which he was too afraid not to commit his full attention towards. Sasuke had to work, and read up about shit he didn't care to understand if only to keep up an appearance.

He was sorely tempted to genjutsu the man multiple times for making him do _homework_ at his age, his Sharingan was throbbing him from staying up too late.

Kabuto, on the other hand, was undeniably pleased over his 'loss'. He spoke enthusiastically about his recovery, he wanted to return full-form back to their experiments that Sasuke didn't give a care about. It was half science and half glory… the man obviously had high ideas he thought would gain them the approval of the public with a welcoming of open arms. Grand, hopeless dreams fueled him but it wasn't in Sasuke's prerogative to tell him the truth.

He only needed to get what he came for, quickly if he can. The Uchiha didn't want to be here any longer than he needed to be.

"Do you know what else these eyes can be used for?" he posed the question, casually pushing away the data analysis he was supposed to be reviewing in the far corner of his desk. "Do you know why I desired them for so long?"

Kabuto paused. He lowered his instruments and removed the safety goggles surrounding his head if only to see him more clearly.

Once Sasuke stole his attention according to plan, he let the red flood into his eyes.

"They don't just copy like a monkey."

Kabuto responded of his own accord.

"They can record images in almost perfect photographic memory… the metaphorical distance between hand and eye coordination is next to nonexistent. It's been purposed they can detect chakra in likeness to the Byakugan, that they can interpret minute visual details invisible to the normal eye so fast many believe them to see into the future."

Kabuto followed his tomoe spin curiously as he spoke, and his interest piqued. "Did you see more? Has obtaining Sasuke's body revealed you to information you've previously never seen?"

If the man willingly dropped excuses into his lap…

"You want to fill those little cards of yours, don't you?" Sasuke cocked his head, his gaze focused on the man's pockets and his small smile knowing.

Kabuto bowed deeply.

Sasuke thought… the ex-Konoha nin didn't have much of an identity himself, always readily absorbing the backgrounds of others to fill in the empty spaces. It was pitiful and a sometimes hard to watch, delicate moments that Sasuke as Orochimaru wasn't supposed to witness because Kabuto truly looked up to the sannin. He told him himself. He looked to him for fucking _guidance_. Sasuke was supposed to say anything, something, lie to him like Orochimaru would in order to keep the gifted orphans he collected close, diligent, and loyal. But he didn't know if he could go that far, do that just yet.

For now, it was an equivalent exchange if he could have it, no psychology, no manipulation.

Sasuke would need to give information to get.

"Itachi will be after my eyes soon." He said, and smirked when Kabuto blinked and realized.

"He wants to steal them," the man spoke breathlessly.

"Do you know why?"

"No," he whispered.

"Killing someone closest to you," Sasuke began and he could see dark eyes film over behind glasses, right before the light hit the lens just right, masking his deeper emotions. However, it was a second too late and Sasuke was quickly learning. "You've had experience in that, no? Within this body it unlocks the Sharingan's second secret power."

"It can grant the user-"

"I understand, Sensei."

His words summarily cut off, Sasuke looked at him. Strands of gray hair hung loosely, the rest held back by a short ponytail, not even waving an inch. His head was low until his back was visible before him, one hand at the waist, the other curved to the opposite shoulder. He was kneeling and he wasn't getting up, and Sasuke didn't know why.

"You can use me as a sacrifice for the greater good of science."

He blinked.

"I'd be willing to be used as your pawn, in order to grant you better eyes. You were planning this from the start, weren't you? To be on par with the Uchiha?" the man said unwaveringly.

Sasuke frowned.

Kabuto criticized the others. His lips would sneer upward at the mention of Kimimaro's name, at Orochimaru's many loyal followers, he thought their genuine emotions were cheap and laughed at them behind their backs. It was a common inside joke between him and Orochimaru that Sasuke had the misfortune to witness, when those same followers died buying into their sannin's hero worship to receive nothing in return. Kabuto believed he was smarter than them, superior to them.

What the fuck was he saying?

"Of course, Kabuto, your service is always… appreciated." Sasuke let the words flow off his lips, even though it felt like crawling bugs in his throat. "Unfortunately, the Mangekyou Sharingan carries a great drawback that even Itachi can't contain. The powerful doujutsu will soon drive its user to blindness. It's no wonder the boy didn't kill his Uzumaki friend earlier, he couldn't stand a chance against me handicapped."

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek until it bled.

"Is that so? I apologize Sensei, for my interruption."

"Mm."

"May I be so forward as to hazard another guess? Stealing another's eyes must reverse these drawbacks."

Close. "Correct."

Kabuto spoke slowly. "What if I could guarantee you the blindness cured elsewhere?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. His hands clenched around his sword, he couldn't even stop himself from his voice going tight.

"Other… Uchihas?" he spat.

"Yes."

He itched to jump out and kill him, appearance be damned.

"I think I know where we can get some underground Sharingan eyes, or possibly graft some of our own in the labs." Kabuto mused aloud and Sasuke's hand hurt, bone white and cracking the hilt of his chokuto.

" _Tell me where._ "

"-Orochimaru-sama?"

Tch. He crossed his legs and twisted away, elbow bent on the arm rest with his cheek in hand. Sasuke did some breathing exercises before he spoke and tried to calm the red in his sight.

"I'm very sorry, Orochimaru-sama, I only offer my hypotheses, that's all I have." Sasuke glared darkly at the man cowering before him.

"And?"

"It only makes sense," Kabuto replied. "There's no way a great village like Konoha would let this opportunity slide. The Uchiha massacre… Of course, they would never leave perfectly good corpses lying at rest."

…

"-so you think they stole them?"

"Yes," he said.

Sasuke needed to calm himself immediately if he was ever to get anywhere. Though the words coming out of Kabuto's mouth were absolutely infuriating, he had learned the hard way that infiltration was a doubled challenge, intent on breaking him from multiple sides. His past sensei always said that he was too much like Naruto, too headstrong and unbeatably proud to hide his beliefs. That after enough intake of something he didn't like, he couldn't refuse to keep silent.

It was hard then, breathing through his nose timely, slowly, remembering Kakashi's words. Sasuke made his chest rise and fall under his shirt until his grip went lax on his sword. He clenched his teeth.

Kabuto didn't seem to notice. "It is true, they are quite the valuables of the Leaf Village. I imagine either kept for safekeeping from rival nations, or possibly under the property name of Sasuke Uchiha. Though it's a bit too late to ask him if he remembered any false burial rites, he was eight, wasn't he?"

His voice was rough like gravel. "Yes."

"In that case I'm almost positive. Extracted and depending on the type of solution, eye organs can survive up to two years in wait. Maybe longer if frozen, though the chances for such eyes to be useable much less in whole condition is lost by around 70 percent."

He didn't know how to say the words.

"It's been eight years."

Kabuto nodded. "In that case, either a special sealing jutsu was used or some sort of-"

"Can you find them?" Sasuke asked.

His heart was throbbing in his chest, stinging him painfully. Orochimaru wasn't known to care too closely enough to interrupt, much less for the determination in his voice, light and hopeful at the ends.

He was losing it, and he couldn't be bothered to restrain himself for his family.

"These eyes will most likely be replanted in volunteers, but I can calculate a list of potential recipients for you immediately." Kabuto said.

His chest exhaled.

"On the other hand, you may be right." Sasuke raised his head with great heaviness, dark hair falling into his sight. His head hurt, pounding like the headache of a thunderstorm and sharp, ringing him brightly in the ears. He was tired and he heard enough for today, Sasuke wanted to retreat to his room to think, sift, reason with himself.

This was bullshit, he only needed to figure out how.

"These eyes, if only for the sake of social embarrassment, if not misguided respect towards the dead… they may have been quickly destroyed. I wouldn't be surprised if they were, though saddened on your behalf if this was the case."

"Yes." Sasuke swallowed thickly. "Of course."

"Orochimaru-sama."

He quickly waved him out of the room.

…

After that, he didn't ask anymore. Kabuto looked at him differently since. He toed around him, and possibly read into things more deeply than he could mask it, until Sasuke had to take drastic measures. Ordering him away before he got too close, constantly smiling… it was difficult being Orochimaru when his head was screaming at him.

The drive for revenge was disappearing. For once in his life, Sasuke was unsure what to do next.

Until Kabuto made the choice for him.

…

His Sharingan dutifully recorded every little detail of Orochimaru's past form, the unconscious motions in the way he purred his words or the long gait of his walk. Sasuke's eyes made sure to note these things in the back of his mind, keep them, store them and prepare the details for later use. When Kabuto looked at him all he saw was Orochimaru in a new skin with the same mannerisms and speech patterns, he couldn't tell that Sasuke was underneath the underneath, and that this wasn't no average transformation jutsu.

Sasuke had absorbed Orochimaru. The snake was probably still alive, recovering, crawling under his skin. But his control over him was dead. What was left of his essence was concentrated in the seal on his shoulder and silent. Sasuke could pose as Orochimaru with no expected interference whatsoever.

Except, unfortunately, from himself.

Into the dimly lit caverns they entered his least favorite place, aptly dubbed the 'Chamber'. Here was where Orochimaru's most hidden experiments were conducted, away from any suspecting eyes. Even Sasuke didn't previously know of this place, Orochimaru must have suspected his moralistic tendencies and sought to spare him the knowledge. Kabuto quickly departed to his post then, leaving him alone with what he was sure used to be humans.

If they could even be called that. Before him lay a chimera of some sort, missing a leg and a generous chunk of his body, one that Sasuke looked at it emptily as someone slim, a little less than his age, groaned and twitched.

"Orochimaru-sama."

"Kabuto," he tried to keep the disgust from his tone but he wasn't one for hiding. This was sick. The boy his age was pitifully cognizant and aware of his gaze.

"Here are the findings on the latest experiment, Orochimaru-sama."

"I see."

"He needs doses of hormones to keep the transformation in place, possibly a reverse injection of 2FG-855. He needs time for the effects to set."

Sasuke grimaced. "What kind of time?"

"In two days the store of his body fat will be consumed and depleted, directing the subject to feed off of his own musculature and bodily proteins. In the four hours after he will have lost another third of his body, as you can already see the virus has consumed his right half and will continue doing so until it reaches his central nervous system. It will eat his lungs and other extraneous organs before it reaches his brain, by then he will have been prepared for the final stage."

Sasuke was silent. He let Kabuto run on and he watched the thing without blinking. The boy made one last final sigh and returned to unconsciousness. His brown eyes remained open.

"-he will be disposed of properly afterwards, of course."

"Of course," he said and smoothly turned his Sharingan onto the medic nin. Kabuto didn't flinch and looked curiously at him, at the way his tomoe spinned.

"What do you want from me?"

"Replacements, if you may. 14 of the girls have failed, another 3 male specimens could not survive the stress. I understand civilian science isn't your primary interest but-"

"But you were hoping to grant favor with me proving what?"

Kabuto hedged. "Well, now that you have obtained Sasuke's body…"

"You believe I don't need of the rest."

His glasses shaded when he turned from the fluorescent lighting, his silence was telling and he pointedly faced towards the rest of Orochimaru's potential 'replacements'. Kabuto made sure his point was made clear, and the reason sound, before he didn't really have much of a choice.

"I have brought up a list of recipients. One, actually," he casually spoke.

So that's how it's going to be.

Sasuke made himself _laugh_.

His chest burning fire in his lungs until his eye watered… he chuckled and he nodded and he let Kabuto motion to a few snake lackeys and in a single motion the people were his.

…

(Sasuke couldn't stay after that.)

…

"They were destroyed," he said in the midst while he was quickly packing. Smoke popped until his few things disappeared, the ink glowed white against the long strip of paper.

His room was dark and empty. His sealing scroll rolled with a snap.

"Aa." Sasuke complained, but his shaking hand belayed him. "You tricked me."

Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "And old friend of yours may have them."

He whipped his head and glowered.

"I have many old friends, Kabuto, I'm afraid you need to be more specific."

"You're not Orochimaru, are you?"

His blade was out in a blink, shining metal sharp and threaded with electricity, pulsing blue against a delicate neck.

Kabuto spoke slowly. "I guessed."

"What do you want?"

"To help you. To tell you where your brother is."

His chakra surged.

"You're a sick man, you-" Kabuto's hand glowed and Sasuke didn't think, he clashed his sword against a kunai, the sound ringing sharply in his ears. Both of the metals screeched, wobbled with each other's force. "I'll kill you! I should've burned you from your _tongue_ -"

The glint in those eyes grew brighter and the medic nin darkly smirked.

"You gave them to me."

 _Smack!_ his kunai went flying and Kabuto clapped the blade, stopping the forward motion any further. Green light healed his skin from his chidori in real time but Sasuke drove inch by slow inch until he was gaining traction into flesh. The birds of his electricity screeched while the saw of his blade cackled... drops of dark red blood dripping to the floor.

"Is this how you really are, _Orochimaru-sama_?" Sasuke flinched and Kabuto jumped at the opportunity.

 _One… two…_

Like a Hyuga, he struck.

The blue glow ebbed, slowed, until his sword was just a normal one and his flow of chakra temporarily cut off.

Sasuke looked at his weapon and then glared darkly.

"I don't want to fight."

"Then you should've thought of that sooner." Sasuke lunged and Kabuto spun, tapping a few more of his chakra points along the way.

"You almost fooled me, Sasuke-kun. Even after a majority of my life as Orochimaru's pupil, I doubted." Kabuto raised a kunai to his neck until he was forced to lift his chin, dark eyes narrowed and frowning.

Sasuke knew when he was cornered. "What do you want?"

"I can get you into the Akatsuki. You can keep your disguise if you like, I won't tell." The medic nin's lips curled humorously.

"That wasn't my question."

"I'm willing to do this for free, for you."

"Don't lie to me."

Kabuto sighed. He pushed his glasses up until the lens shone. "I want to thank you. Without Orochimaru present, the base is effectively mine. Without you here, there's no one else to contend for my authority."

Sasuke growled. "You want to do your stupid science experiments unregulated-"

"I want to search for _Truth_ ," Kabuto hissed and the blade at his neck nicked him a little, beading a drop of red at the wound. The air blew through Sasuke's nostrils harshly. "You're looking for the same thing, aren't you?"

"I'm not you."

The coldness retreated from his skin, leaving a negative space that made Sasuke itch with discomfort. Kabuto scoffed with small amusement before he twirled the weapon back where it came, turned and started to walk away.

"You'll have to wait 15 minutes."

He could feel a little warm flow in his fingertips and he could already twitch his digits slightly. When Sasuke refused to reply, Kabuto snorted and shook his head.

"Itachi Uchiha will be East."

…

 _They reside in a large cave. You'll first talk to Konan,_ the small note said in neat, perfect cursive despite the implication. He felt he should know just who this was but he didn't, Orochimaru however might have been familiar with the name. It was the first step in his journey and a decent excuse to be freed of the base, sword at his side with the advantage of his presence believed to be erased off the Earth.

The first rays of sunlight shined warm and soft on his skin, until it felt wrong, troubled him in the back of his mind like something he shouldn't be feeling. The forest air around him was clean while the winds tufted his hair, billowing loudly through his shirt. It felt good, when it should've destroyed him like everyone else. He had his body still, whole and of his own, free walking under the sun.

Sasuke could only hope he found out what he was looking for, in time before he lost himself.


	3. Chapter 3

They found him before he could find them. They, or rather, _she_.

The last time he sighted blue hair was on the Hyuuga girl back at the Academy, four years ago. It was short and held together by a single origami rose, and this wasn't what he thought of when he was told of the infamous Akatsuki, patiently sitting before him with calm eyes. He remembered that they always traveled in pairs. The woman ordering tea was alone.

"Orochimaru."

"Konan."

Her stare was dead.

"Sit, please." Sasuke made his way over to the table but kept his hands hidden in his kimono sleeves, one on the hilt of his sword.

"Our leader Pain appreciates your interest in our cause once again and is happy to have heard from you."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"But of course he has some reasons for concern… small reasons as they are." Konan spoke and her words were scripted, her eyes looking off into her tea as the syllables fell from her mouth. Her voice was soft but Sasuke wouldn't say she was really "concerned". Orange eyes, out of all things, lowered out of focus and her voice went cold and robotic. "Your past history concerns us."

Sasuke narrowed.

"You are no saint, Orochimaru. We are not ignorant to the deeds you've done in your lifetime and not fools to be played with. We have reason to believe that you are not true – you have no interest in our cause and never have – Pain will not be a part of your personal plans." Konan said.

He forced himself to smile widely, even though he knew it would not be conducive to his plea but at least holding together his act. "You know I have suffered as much as you-"

"Your background will not redeem you." Those eyes were cold and the paper rose twisted, moving like it was alive. The folds flapped and spread and Sasuke didn't know what her kekkei genkai was but her chakra spiked the air, wobbling the paper walls of the tea house like bird wings. Gaining speed. Whipping faster.

Shit, this wasn't working.

He couldn't fight her now. She wasn't supposed to be mad.

"Konan-"

The sheets whirred.

At this point Sasuke couldn't turn back now. He had only one chance to enter the group his brother was a part of and he'd be damned if he failed.

"You're right," he said and he let the red seep into his eyes. His tomoe told her that he was prepared to fight, that he wasn't joking. This time around, he clearly wasn't here to steal Itachi. "I wanted the elder Uchiha's eyes."

Sometimes, Sasuke found, honesty was the best policy, and looking irritated as Orochimaru wasn't too difficult. His lips thinned and he found himself glaring, he spent three weeks travelling to find this damn tea shop in the middle of Coal Country. It was winter, and it had been raining the last six days and he was cold, sick, and tired. He couldn't sleep. The guilt of feeling the rain on his clothes pouring off his skin in waves, and the tea arrived smelling of hibiscus and sugar, and she was right, he wasn't true, he's going to get caught, _his background wouldn't redeem him_. Sasuke gritted his teeth to keep the bitter taste in and he let his Sharingan do the work of acting in his place. "I never had interest in Pain's plan."

For some reason, the papers weren't fluttering any more. Their applause calmed to a rumor, then to a whisper, until Konan herself watched him closely in his face. She let the origami die down and Sasuke's body uncontracted in relief.

"But that was never your concern was it?"

Konan folded her hands. "Pain doesn't need power. He has no use for your… contribution."

Sasuke made himself smile, but it was thin and bitter.

"Ah. Itachi is a _natural_."

"Itachi is of no use to us either," she said stonily.

 _Then what do you want?_

"You must be wondering why Pain has sent me to see you," she spoke for him calmly, after the look on his face. She watched him with a quiet stare, and softly inclined her head. "You must be very curious by now."

The sudden interest from her was dangerous. Penetrating. The Akatsuki were the best infiltrator and spy network the world has ever seen. They collected every jinchuuriki thus far without major interference and they knew things of every village that has ever hired them… more so than Kabuto could ever know. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "If you have wasted my time-"

"You join, you stay for a brief period in our organization. You leave once, and then decide to come back. The Akatsuki is not your toy, Orochimaru."

"No one would mistake S-class missing nin for _playthings_ , surely."

"This is not a joke."

"Oh? Then what is this? Tea?" Sasuke said mockingly, his tongue speaking harsh and rough against the roof of his mouth. He didn't know where he was going with this but by the dead color of her eyes, he could already tell it wasn't working. " _Konan_ … weren't we on the same team? What is this interrogation, hm? You are so sure of your Pain's power, so what threat am I in rejoining?"

"You speak ahead of yourself."

"You're interested in me, aren't you? You want to know why I want to come back. That's why you'll let me in."

"You show yourself," she said.

Her face was stone. Absolutely unshakeable. He didn't know what kind of control this Pain had over his subordinates but his team was clearly loyal to the man, all the way to the point of irritation. Annoyed at the lack of progress, at his _backwards_ progress, Sasuke grew impatient in his seat. He found himself having trouble maintaining some semblance of calm, and his electric chakra sparked blue at his fingertips. Konan didn't seem to notice or care of his upset, she remained stout in her position.

He can't believe he let them waste his time. This woman was cold to him, cold from the start.

"Ah. I can see that we're done here." Sasuke rose.

The other ninja was silent.

He let out a small 'tsk' of disappointment, as if he were the elder one, free and flippant about such a complete dismissal, as if he didn't actually need them. As if he wasn't bothered by this.

But Sasuke didn't show the way his stomach hurt at failing so soon in the game, how his gut churned at the thought of never getting close to Itachi in any significant way. Only through violence. He couldn't count on learning about him and the clan objectively within a fight. He clearly couldn't count on his own acting skills thus far, in composing himself long enough to even hear his brother out. He could wait for Itachi to come to him… wait beside himself for his brother to hunt him down, defeat him effortlessly (again), and finally steal his eyes. And then Kabuto would be proven wrong. Sasuke let his mouth twist in disapproval, mostly aimed towards himself, and glowered at the Akatsuki member, the source of all his problems and solutions.

He could wait for Itachi, he thought… if the man even cared that his brother's body was being possessed by Orochimaru. He could wait for another Kabuto. But Sasuke was fucking tired of being told of his own history. He was tired of being manipulated of what to think and what to feel by genjutsu or Tsukiyomi. He wanted to find out and determine for himself. Sasuke wanted the truth on his own terms, whatever that entailed, he wanted to see it on his brother's face.

"Konan, if you'll excuse me. Of course, thank your leader in my stead," he said with undisguised bitterness.

"Three small orphans," she spoke before he could turn around.

Sasuke blinked.

"'Shall I kill these children? I've seen many war orphans. It's pitiful. They would be better off if we just put them out of their misery right now…'" She finally decided to look up at him, close and hard into his eyes. "A cruel world for them, isn't it? And an only crueler future to wait. Better for their deaths. Don't you know?"

Sasuke must have taken too long. He was shocked into a small quiet, frozen still at the sudden shift in conversation, if not surprised at the fact that she even spoke at all. What the hell was she even talking about? What answer did she want to hear? Konan expected his response and got what she was looking for.

"I see," she started slowly. "These words must be new to you."

 _Dammit_. Lying wasn't working. Being frank wasn't working. Saying nothing had failed him.

"Then you must have simply forgotten," she said through his panic.

Sasuke didn't know how to take that. She placated him, almost as soon as he had the thought, as if she read his mind and then turned her attention back to her serving of dango. She ate, ignoring his confusion and the sheer turbulence spinning in his eyes because what did it mean to catch him and give him immediate reprieve? What were they thinking? He was caught, he was suspected before he even appeared here, until they must have had a set up in place to test him of his identity, something only the real Orochimaru would know. And now Konan will tell her superior and his gig would already be up.

Why wasn't she saying anything?

"You will be assigned to the only unpaired Akatsuki member we have currently. If you wait here, Zetsu will soon make his appearance. I will report to Pain of your immediate allegiances," she said.

Sasuke could only look at her.

Konan instantly dispersed herself into paper. She turned into little origami butterflies that swarmed around their tea table, gave him a momentary acknowledgement before taking off. She left so smoothly, so suddenly, he could almost think that he imagined it all. But he was in. He's got his chance.

He could find Itachi.

Sasuke sat blinking before himself, with only one sure thought in his mind. The woman knew something. This was too easy; this had to be too good to be true.

But all he could do was wait.

…


	4. Chapter 4

He didn't have to wait long.

Zetsu came and was already there at the same time. Sasuke didn't know how he didn't notice him, notice the large humanoid plant, with half his form black as ink and the other half a sickly white. The thing was a flytrap dressed in the Akatsuki wear, his plant bits shielding his face, bursting through his robe. Sasuke knew of interesting ninja with various bodily disfigurements, usually an indication of some special type of kekkai genkai or body modification for battle. But Zetsu didn't look human… didn't look like he needed those things. His plant form breathed and shuddered breath, unfolding to reveal the face within. He was a vision of the bond with nature Orochimaru craved, a superior human being and someone the snake would covet to study.

He wasn't human, no, Sasuke could see it as he came near, barefooted, two different legs. The plant thing was alive, and vocal, shaking and creaking at him with its displeasure.

"It looks like you are to be our new teammate."

 _Our_? Sasuke frowned.

"Be nice, Black Zetsu, Konan has said Orochimaru is here to stay this time. Isn't that right, Orochimaru-san?"

Sasuke blinked. So they were two in one. Two separate personalities… He watched them as they interacted and argued, White Zetsu in defense of him from getting his body eaten (he chose to ignore this) and Black Zetsu finding him 'interesting'. Sasuke thought then of the curse mark seal on his shoulder, pulsing with stolen chakra, throbbing through his sleepless nights… and that maybe this deformed ninja and him were secretly the same. Orochimaru was a part of him now, and Sasuke acted out his personality. It was apt that he teamed up with this Zetsu character, and the other nin didn't even know it, couldn't even see that Sasuke was playing doubles too.

This ninja smelled disturbingly soft and sweet, Sasuke thought to himself, he smelled warm like thickened honey. It was cloying, but comforting… a subtle calming effect flush through his body.

"Interesting," Sasuke commented aloud.

"What is?"

"You drugging me and believing I wouldn't notice."

 _'_ _You drugged him?-'_ Black Zetsu's side of face curled up in a perfect half circle. "You've adapted to his body well."

"Of course," Sasuke shrugged. "It's mine." He wasn't actually lying.

Black Zetsu hummed aloud.

"Good. That means you'll be well-prepared for our first mission."

…

He knew that the goal of the Akatsuki was to collect Jinchuuriki. It was why his brother had pursued Naruto in the first place, back when they were still a team, when he was jealous that his brother had recognized Naruto's power more. Now he knew better. Sasuke wasn't so sensitive as to not see the bigger picture before him, that Naruto was just one of many, that the hunt for his tailed beast was a plan long in the making, one that had nothing to do with him. Sasuke should be grateful at the lack of his brother's interest. The freedom to pursue his brother only came with that fact, the success of his infiltration banked on the truth that Itachi didn't care.

He thought they would be going after the first of Naruto's kin, and Sasuke steeled himself and steadied his hands. He thought they would reel the beast-jinchuuriki-human being like Naruto (like Gaara) – into where the Akatsuki collected these things and Sasuke would finally meet his brother again. Instead, Zetsu walked, for his sake, in the direction Sasuke came.

Black Zetsu spoke. "It's been years since you've teamed with us, so I won't be upset if you forgot some things." He seemed to answer his unspoken questions.

 _Why are we going back the way I came?_

Sasuke frowned.

"What could I possibly forget?" he challenged. _What are you implying?_

Black Zetsu mused. "If you happen to remember working with Sasori, I must tell you that I am different. You will be too. We won't be collecting jinchuuriki."

Sasuke froze.

 _What?_

"We'll be collecting… other things. Konan primed me to inform you of that. She's asked me personally to keep an eye on you, at Pain's orders, of course."

Zetsu didn't deign to acknowledge his reaction, he wasn't even looking, he simply walked his mismatched feet forward. That plant form of his was dominating, bulky and taking presence in his vision, his cool shadow draped over him and blocking out the sun as he passed. The disjointed grin on his face was unnerving, and knowing – making Sasuke furrow his brows slightly in confusion. He didn't know how to react. White Zetsu kept his silence, he was suspiciously quiet while his counterpart did all the speaking for him.

Sasuke watched all this and knew he shouldn't say anything. He should ignore it. It didn't matter anymore whether other Akatsuki members suspected him or not, so long as he could fool his brother, and so long as he was reinstated into the organization in the first place. He wasn't here to be 'making friends'.

"Are you threatening me? What are you trying to tell me, Zetsu?"

"Personally, I don't care of your reasons," Zetsu offered peacefully. He's changed the nature of the discussion, however. He seemed to bring any suspicion of him into the point of the conversation, though Sasuke felt it unnecessary.

But if he wanted to irritate him, it was working.

Sasuke gave a low, thoughtful sound in his throat. It was a slow rumble, dangerous, and an unspoken threat. "But you're interested nonetheless, aren't you? Is that why you're deliberately inciting me?"

"Am I? Is it working?"

He shouldn't react to the bait. But not responding would expose him, letting this man continue making these accusations of Orochimaru's memory would damn him.

Sasuke sighed. "… and what were those orders?" he relented.

The thing that was questionably human to him, grinned.

"That you are not entirely who you say you are… Are you? What are you?"

"Should you be the one asking me that?" he asked pointedly.

"Oh, this thing is what concerns you," Zetsu commented, indicating towards the plant pieces growing from him. "Or does it interest you?"

Zetsu enjoyed his own joke, smiling and poking at the thought of him being Orochimaru, though there was a certain truth to his statement. It did concern him to be around ninjas that were all, if not more than his brother's caliber, and with weird bodily enhancements at that. It was a problem because he had been planning on entering the Akatsuki quietly and without violent engagement, though it seemed he was getting too ahead of himself. The Akatsuki pairs clearly weren't based on compatibility, much less basic niceties, though he figured they were individually powerful enough to bypass any need for efficient teamwork.

Then again, he was starting to really dislike this Zetsu character, though that could be himself talking.

Sasuke didn't expect any welcome arms but neither did he want of this – loaded conversation and defensive ambiguity – because he was already tired of his own lies. He should know better though, the moment he took Orochimaru's name as his own, and walked here in the man's shoes.

It concerned Sasuke that they weren't even collecting jinchuuriki in the first place. That was all that he knew of the Akatsuki, of their purpose and their vocation. That was what he prepared himself for, should the time come to collect the Nine-tailed fox – though he didn't know of their personal reasons for collecting tailed beasts nor their greater charter as an organization. It was easier, being with Orochimaru, whose goals seemed straightforward and simple, only an individual's pursuit of knowledge and god-like immortality. The Akatsuki were a group however, made up of different private convictions and varying loyalties, and Zetsu seemed the most shady of them all.

"If we're not to be collecting jinchuuriki, then what?" he demanded, tired of the confusion.

White Zetsu chimed in. "You didn't tell him his first mission, Zetsu. Maybe if we got this out of the way, everyone would be happy."

"You're right, I forgot." Sasuke's eyes were wary on this thing beside him, the two halves lined with serrated plant teeth growing tall into the sun. The words coming out of this Zetsu's mouth were secondary to the knowing grin before his eyes.

Black Zetsu sounded amused to his concern. "That's what I'm here for – for you."

…

Sasuke stood over a dead body.

The lying form of Orochimaru was splayed before him, snake skin grafted and flaying out in its layers like hair shafts. It was like dirty clothes discarded on the floor, worn and forgotten. Orochimaru's body was abused all throughout his life and it showed in his death, his body emaciated, brittle, and surprisingly old. His true age finally revealed as his corpse colored a graying pallor over bloodless veins. The skin of his neck retained their uncanny stretchy-ness, coiling up in a circle on the floor. His mouth remained elongated into a gruesome, fanged smile, Orochimaru's last moments when his jaw was aimed for Sasuke.

If Zetsu was watching and waiting for his reaction, he wasn't going to get any. If he expected any sort of sentimentality he had towards his 'previous avatar,' then he was enjoying an idea of it. Sasuke looked at his 'old self' and felt the skin of his arms itch and the hairs of his nape prickle at the disturbing coil of a corpse. In death, Orochimaru was ever flexible, as if rigor mortis never settled in. It was unsettling, if not pitying, to see what was left of one of the great sannin, and what the man would inevitably be forever remembered as.

Sasuke's Sharingan eyes memorized the splay of what was left of Orochimaru, and remained quiet.

"Any last goodbyes?"

"This is what you do, collect bodies," Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Akatsuki's hunter nin."

Zetsu smiled. "You may have occupied a new person but even you know not to leave the previous skin lying around. This isn't like you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him. "You won't find anything of value here."

"Is that so?"

"I didn't expect this to be necessary, having left the Akatsuki years ago."

"You're right, it's not." Zetsu's plant form creaked open wider, and appeared as if he was growing larger in size. "But our Lord Pain wants to be sure."

Sasuke blinked. "About what?"

Instead of answering, Zetsu performed only two hand signs, and then he was _gone_. It happened in a flash. One moment Sasuke was in the presence of the one thing that could separate him from the seal in his neck, the last vestiges of Orochimaru as an individual, and the next the body was gone, and his choice taken away from him. He saw the plant teeth that was a part of Zetsu stretch and adjust, shivering and creaking as it 'swallowed'.

Sasuke swore, as the seal on his neck made itself known. It seared bright red, burning and twisting on his skin, though he couldn't tell if that was just his nerves.

If what was left of Orochimaru in him was active, and conscious, watching its own body get eaten, he would soon have bigger problems to contend with.

"Done. You are very tasty, Orochimaru-sama."

Sasuke glowered. "Are you satisfied? What did you find?"

Black Zetsu spoke. "I have to digest the body first, and let my stomach acids eat away through bone and your cranium before I can get to your brain. Then I will have access to the information I need. Let's hope what I learn will be agreeable to Lord Pain, unless there's really nothing for you to hide."

"You won't find anything here."

"Good. I was ordered to report to Lord Pain everything I know."

Zetsu deftly turned away from him and Sasuke activated his Sharingan. He stood, wary of the ninja standing before him, who seemed rooted to the spot, digesting. Sasuke had never heard of cannibalistic ninja but there was always a time for firsts, especially after experiments like Orochimaru. He held a hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes at the ready for another swift motion.

Sasuke knew Zetsu could feel of his intent. But the ninja didn't make any motions to defend himself, and Sasuke thought of their strength levels.

"It'll take a while for me to digest so you'll have to be patient."

He took a cautious step back.

"Though it seems you'll have nothing to worry about. You should hope that you are not who you say you are."

"And why is that?"

Zetsu hummed in thought. "Do you really think we need Orochimaru's skills? Pain-sama is uninterested in what science has to offer, much less from someone who's deserted."

"Konan responded to my connections."

"You could say they were curious. Pain is more than powerful enough to have the luxury of exploring his curiosity with infiltrators... and he is not afraid of you, whether you are Orochimaru or not."

That gave Sasuke pause.

"He is merciful, however, and willing to hear of your reasons first."

…

 **A/N:** filler chapter is filler. I know nothing of Konan & Zetsu (never seen the Pain Arc) so I'm going off of the little I know. I apologize if OOC.


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